CHAPTER TOOL KIT

Honorary members include leadership and representatives from your institution and local community who have facilitated and nurtured innovation and economic development (who do not hold patents themselves).

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Inventor members are academic inventors at your institution who hold an one or more U.S. patents.

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Benefits of Chapter Membership

• NAI Certificate of Membership• Opportunity to receive special

recognition for work in various NAI publications including the NAI Journal, presentations and national press releases

• Exclusive news and updates from the NAI

• The ability to hold leadership positions within an active chaper as a Chapter Officer or Executive Committee member

• Official NAI Lapel Pin • NAI Mentorship Platform• Recognition towards “service”

when nominated for other categories (Fellow Membership, Senior Membership)

• Cultivation of inventor community on campus

• Member discount for NAI annual meetings

Annual Chapter Event

It is recommended that you host an annual event to induct new members into your chapter. You may choose to invite new inductees, current members, related deans and directors, etc. At this event, new inductees can receive their NAI membership certificates and lapel pins. In addition, you may incorporate other workshops, speaker series, bi-annual luncheons, etc. to engage your members throughout the year. We’ve included tips and resources for planning your annual event. See the Suggested Planning Timeline on the next page.

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Creating Your Chapter

There are two types of members within Chapter Membership: Inventor Members and Honorary Members.

Forming a local chapter is a useful vehicle to recognize and honor investigators at your institution who translate their research findings into inventions that may benefit society. A chapter also serves as a tool to celebrate leaders who foster

and nurture innovation at your institution and within your community.

• This is a great way to recognize your president, vice presidents, members of your local federal delegation, etc. for their support and efforts in fostering a spirit of innovation at your institution.

• You have the ability to set parameters for membership; you may open it to all individuals with a patent and request that they apply to join, you may require that all members hold patents through your institution, you may require a minimum number of patents and all who fit into those parameters become members, etc. You may also choose to limit membership to faculty members or expand to staff, students, and affiliates. If you would like to utilize an application submission process, you may use the NAI template form. An application is not required, nor does it need to be submitted to the NAI. You may adapt the questions to best suit your needs.

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Suggested Planning Timeline3-4 Months Before

• Schedule an initial call with the NAI. Utilize this opportunity to gather necessary information about starting a chapter, ask questions, and begin thinking through your inaugural event.

2-3 Months Before• Set a date for your inaugural event.

This time frame allows you to locate a venue, extend invitations, secure a speaker, and confirm a program in preparation of the event.

• Set parameters for your chapter inductees. Do you want to open membership to all inventors who hold a patent through your institution? Do you want to be broader and open it to all inventors who hold any patent? You can invite those who fit your set parameters to apply if they are interested, or you can name all those who fit within your parameters a member. You may also consider changing the parameters each year. Perhaps the first year you invite those who have 6+ patents and the next year you will open it to those with 5+. Feel free to tailor the parameters to fit your institution’s needs.

• Secure a venue. This step is necessary as you determine the parameters of induction as well as the invite list for your event. Consider the format of your event- will it strictly be a presentation? A luncheon? Coffee and pastries?

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

2 Months Before• Send a request to your speaker.

As your event will pull together inventors from your institution, consider bringing your audience an engaging speaker. Perhaps you would like to invite someone who can inspire. Perhaps you would like to invite someone from the NAI to share more about the organization. Consider the messaging your audience would be interested in hearing and select someone who can deliver.

6 Weeks Before

• Send invitations to your attendees. Now that you’ve locked in a date, time, venue, and membership parameters, it is time to invite attendees so that they have enough notice to secure the time on their calendars. We recommend 6 weeks’ notice, with an opportunity to follow-up with reminders two weeks prior to the event.

4 Weeks Before• Send your inductee list to the NAI and request lapel pins.

The NAI provides lapel pins to each chapter member. Please provide a list of names and email addresses so that new inductees can be included in necessary communications about the organization as well.

Annual Chapter Event

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2 Weeks Before• Send out a reminder email to those who have not RSVP’d to your

event. Use this time to capture the last of the attendees so that you are well-prepared in terms of seating, food, print materials, etc. You may also use this time to remind those who have RSVP’d to ensure it is still on their calendars.

1 Week Following the Chapter Lunch

• Follow-up call with the NAI. This provides an opportunity to recap the event with the NAI and ask any follow-up questions you may have.

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If you are interested in inviting a speaker from the NAI Board of Directors, please reach out to us at info@academyofinventors.org.

Event Considerations

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

• Venue Rental• Catering• Centerpieces• Tables/Chairs• Parking

The below are items that may come up as expenses to your office in relation to the event. These are listed merely as considerations; some items may not be applicable to your event or you may have the opportunity to acquire at no cost.

• Gifts/Prizes• Program Printing• Certificate Printing and Framing• Photographer/Videographer

The below are print/marketing items that may be useful to supplement your event.

Additional Elements To Prepare:

• Co-branded logo• Membership certificate • PowerPoint presentation • Event program • Event photos/video• Press release • Website• Commemorative gift

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Co-branded Logo:To request your co-branded logo, please contact the NAI.

Member CertificatesThe certificates are intended to be personalized and presented to each new member of your chapter, along with their membership lapel pin. You may utilize the NAI template or create your own.

• Member Certificate Template• Honorary Member Certificate Template

PowerPoint template You may create your own background slide for your chapter event, or you may use the NAI PowerPoint template.

• NAI PowerPoint Template

Chapter Resources:

Expenses:

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National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Event Program:Please feel free to design your program in the way that is best suited for your institution and event. The following examples are programs that some of our member institutions created.

Event Press Release:Many local NAI Chapters choose to share news before or after their chapter event via e-newsletters, press releases and social media.

Chapter Websites: We recommend creating a separate webpage on your institution’s website for your Chapter of the NAI. It is a great place to post a list of your members, the application form to become an individual member of your chapter, and activities and news about your chapter and chapter members.

• Stony Brook University Event Program• University of South Florida Event Program

• The Medical University of South Carolina Press Release• Uiversity of Hawaii Press Release

• Jackson State University Chapter Website• Medical University of South Carolina Chapter Website• University of Missouri - St. Louis Chapter Website• University of South Florida Chapter Website• Arizona State University Chapter Website

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Commemorative Gifts and RecognitionWhile each inductee is awarded a certificate of membership, some member institutions also like to provide an additional gift or article to celebrate the occasion and the work of the inventors.

At USF, the Inventors Commons was established to honor the members of the USF Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors with a brick for each member.

Thomas Jefferson University provided new members with eggs to symbolize the hatching of new ideas.

ASU includes a raffle drawing to wrap-up their annual event. For the past two years, winners have received a lightsaber.

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Chapter Resources:

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Chapter Resources:

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

NAI Logo:

All use of official logo must be approved by NAI staff. Please contact info@academyofinventors.org for more information.

• Green and White Logo

• Black and White Logo

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I start?As long as your university or non-profit research institute is a Member Institution of the NAI, you are eligible to have an NAI chapter there. The first step is to determine what office will oversee the chapter and plan the recognition event. In most cases, the office of research or technology transfer office leads the NAI chapter initiative.

What is the cost of launching a chapter?There isn’t a set cost for NAI Member Institutions to launch a chapter, but rather, it is determined by the format of your event, items you choose to include, and resources you have available. Items that may be factored into the cost include: venue rentals for events, catering, printing, gifts/prizes, etc.

Who should be inducted into an NAI Chapter?

You have the freedom to set parameters for your chapter inductees. Inductees should hold at least one issued U.S. patent, however, you can determine if that is through your institution or not. You may also set minimum patent requirements if you wish. Some institutions have established a student chapter to focus on the younger generation of inventors.

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Chapter Resources:

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

Should the chapter have an executive committee?Forming an executive committee is not a requirement. An executive committee can be beneficial in encouraging a chapter to become active and oversee events in addition to an annual recognition event. If you would like to consider forming an NAI chapter executive committee, the NAI recommends inducting chapter members first, then determining who among the chapter members would like to take on an active role.

What types of activities should the chapter participate in/lead?

NAI chapters participate in and lead various activities including:

• Student research days• Student competitions relating to entrepreneurship and invention• Educational workshops relating to technology transfer• Student and faculty prizes and awards relating to invention and

innovation• NAI Annual Meeting

National Academy of Inventors | Chapter Tool Kit

About the NAI

The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization compris-ing U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide.

The NAI was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclo-sure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.

The NAI publishes the multidisciplinary journal Technology and Innovation, Journal of the National Academy of Inventors. ®

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